I can sum up this (and most of Goodkind's other books) in 3 words:
Poorly Penned Propaganda. Goodkind blatantly manipulates his
characters and situations to hit the reader over the head with his
poorly conceptualized and frequently callous ultra-right-wing
philosophy.
Though his books are occasionally entertaining, the entertainment
value is not worth the blatant propagandizing Goodkind engages in.